History
History | Project activity | National and international relations
Lithuanian University was founded in 1922. It consisted of 5 faculties: theology, social sciences, medicine, nature and mathematics, technics. Libraries were established at university or faculties.
Library of Lithuanian University was founded in 1923. The fund of Medicine Faculty Library of Lithuanian University was formed. Professors P. Avižonis, P. Raudonikis, P. Mažylis, B. Šaulys, docents J. Nemeikša, A. Matulevičius, doctor A. Domaševičius and the relatives of prof. Lašas and prof. Mažylis gave books from personal libraries to Medicine Faculty Library fund.
1930-1949 Lithuanian University is named Vytautas Magnus University – the library becomes Vytautas Magnus University Library. In 1940 Vytautas Magnus University was named Kaunas Public University – the library becomes Kaunas Public University Library.
1950 – Kaunas Medicine Institute Library. Kaunas Public University is reorganized into two separate higher schools: Kaunas Polytechnic Institute (KPI) and Kaunas Medicine Institute (KMI). KMI takes over 17 000 exemplars of former Medicine Faculty library fund. Then there was 60 places reading room in the library, there was appointed a room for personnel.
There was founded separate reading room for research workers in 1956, bibliographical card catalogues were created, bibliographical-information literature fund was organized, bibliographical information was started to be spread to departments.
1957
• Card catalogue of KMI employees publications was created. Starting from 1957 all publications of KMI employees are registered, their record is done, reports are prepared.
• Subject catalogue is fully amended on a basis of universal decimal classification, subject index is made.
• Service catalogue was started to create.
1958 – Interlibrary loan was created.
1960 – Library delivery room was founded.
1960 – The course of bibliography basics was started to be lectured for students.
1964 – Three departments were established in the library – Information-Bibliographical, Services to Readers and Literature Acquisition and Cataloguing Department.
1966 – Alphabet-subject card index was started to be kept. It consisted of printed cards which constantly were supplemented with the new cards with descriptions of journals‘ articles, medicine conferences material, received from Moscow Public Central Medicine Library, Charkov and Kiev Medicine Libraries.
1970 – The reading room was founded in Educational Laboratory Corps (MLK, Eivenių str. 4, Kaunas)
1975
• Department of Bibliography is reorganized to Department of Information and Bibliography.
• Selective information distribution to KMI departments was started
1983
There was created automated subsystem of publications record.
1989 – Kaunas Medical Academy Library
1991 – When receiving of printed bibliographic descriptions cards was stopped, alphabet-subject card index of medicine publications was removed.
1993
• There was created library computer network.
• Integral information library system ALISE, created by Latvian University programmers, started to work.
• Medicine information databases started to be complemented in compact discs.
• The library becomes official WHO documentation centre.
1995 – Library computer network was connected to internet.
1998 – Kaunas Medicine University Library
• Computer class of 10 working places was founded in Scientific Information Department (MLK, Eivenių str.4, Kaunas).
2001 –there was acquired new libraries information system ALEPH-500 (Israel, Exlibris) together with Lithuanian universities libraries.
2002 – Scientific publications databases of KMU employees were moved to library information system “Aleph“ and LieMSIS PDB.
2004
• Computer class of 6 working places was equipped in the library ( A. Mickevičiaus str.9).
• The reading room of nursery sciences literature was opened in the Services Centre of Kaunas Medicine University Clinics.
• The project of new library building was approved. The architect G. Janulytė-Bernotienė.
2004-2006 Construction of the new library.
2005 – Electronic documents of KMU employees doctoral dissertations, their summaries, master theses were started to load to the information system of Lithuanian electronic theses and dissertations (Lithuanian ETD IS).
2006 – Meilė Kretavičienė, Director of KMU Library has won premium of Ministry of Culture for her librarianship, bibliography scientific research and practical activity in libraries. Her candidacy was presented for nomination by Association of Scientific Libraries of Lithuania.
2007 – KMU Library and Health Sciences Information Centre
• KMU library was moved to the new premises; official opening of the library on March 6th, 2007. There were located 344 working places for readers, 39 working places for librarians, computer class of 56 working places in the premises of the library. Group training classes, multimedia class, users‘ training class, conference and seminars halls were founded, the lift for visitors and the lift for shifting books to the other floors were installed. Modern RFDI technologies system was installed for the first time in the history of Lithuanian libraries, which warrants control of books safety, the effectiveness of self-service of books delivery and return. Wireless computer network was installed.
• The title of the best librarian of the year 2006 was given to Director of the library Meilė Kretavičienė by the decision of experts commission formed by LR Ministry of Culture.
2010 – Library and Information Centre of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Kaunas Medicine University and Lithuanian Veterinary Academy were connected to Lithuanian University of Health Sciences by the decision of LR Seimas. From September 1st KMU and LVA libraries were connected and named LSMU Library and Information Centre.
2011 – Virtual Personal Network (VPN) program was installed, giving the possibility to library readers to connect to subscribed databases, not from LSMU computer network.
The mission of the Library is to provide professional services to help the information needs of the University community.
The goals of the Library are: to collect, organize and disseminate scientific knowledge and latest achievements of science and research; provide service excellence and timely access to information in the health sciences, independent of user location and mode of access, review and implement options to improve the management and delivery of information services; to enhance availability and accessibility of the information resources; to optimise the environment for research and study; to ensure that an adequate and future-proof technical infrastructure is in place; acquisition, organisation and dissemination of information resources, prioritising electronic access over print; to uphold university values, to create an open space for study and research.
2019-2021 m. - LSMU and Erasmus+ strategic partnership project "Medical Information Literacy".
2016-2021 – the project of Lithuania Scientific Libraries Association "eMoDB.LT3: Opening of the Online Research Databases for Lithuania – Stage 3".
2013-2016 – TEMPUS international project (coordinator - LSMU Library and information centre) "Modern Information Services for Improvement Study Quality".
2012-2015 – the project of Lithuania Scientific Libraries Association "eMoDB.LT2: Opening of the Online Research Databases for Lithuania – Stage 2".
2009-2012 – the project of Lithuania Scientific Libraries Association “eMoDB.LT: Opening Electronic Science Data Bases for Lithuania“.
2008-2009 – the project of Lithuania Scientific Libraries Association “Libraries for Progress“. Preparation of training material and lecturing the courses “Internet Resources and New Library Services“ and “Internet Resources for the Visitors of Libraries“.
2009 – NORDINFO international project “Transfer of Knowledge VIII: Workshop and continuing education courses“. Continuing education program for employees of medical libraries in the Baltic countries and Northern Russia: experience of 15 years collaboration (1994-2009).
2008 – NORDINFO international project “Transfer of Knowledge VII: Providing and managing evidence based health information“. Continuing education program for employees of medical libraries of the Baltic countries and Nothern Russia (“Evidence based medicine: provision and management“; Kaunas).
2007 – NORDINFO international project “Transfer of Knowledge VI: Providing and managing evidence based health information“. Continuing education program for employees of medical libraries of the Baltic countries (“Evidence based medicine: provision and management“; St. Petersburg).
2006 – NORDINFO international project “Transfer of Knowledge V: Providing and managing evidence based health information“. The program of continuing education for employees of medical libraries in the Baltic countries (“Evidence based medicine: provision and management“; St. Petersburg).
2004 – NORDINFO international project NORDINFO “Transfer of Knowledge IV: Workshop and courses in St.Petersburg“. The program of continuing education for employees of medical libraries of the Baltic countries. The main subject is evidence based medicine (St. Petersburg).
2004 – Lithuanian ETD information system. Creation of Lithuanian database of electronic dissertations and master theses.
2004 – NORDINFO international project “Transfer of Knowledge III“. The program of continuing teaching for employees of medical libraries in the Baltic countries.
2002 – The library participated in creation of LieMSIS PDB.
2002 – international project NORDINFO “Transfer of Knowledge II“ . Continuing teaching program for employees of medical libraries of the Baltic countries.
1998-2003 – collaboration program of Nordic Baltic countries: traineeships, supply of special literature, participation in conferences.
1999-2001 – program “Internet for Medics“ of Open Society Fund – organizing courses about computer science elements and search for information on internet for Kaunas medics.
1999 – the project “Internet for Medics“ – preparation of courses material for Lithuanian specialists.
1998 – TEMPUS-PHARE “Master of Public Health Manager“. Common KMU project. The library participated in creation of training base, supply of literature, organizing traineeships.
1998 – common project of Lithuanian academic libraries network (LABT) “Integral Information System of Libraries“.
1998 – the project financed by Open Lithuania Fund “Foundation of Medicine Information Centre in KMU“.
1997 – the project of consolidation of Lithuanian scientific libraries “Creation of Lithuanian Integral Libraries Information System“ (LIBIS).
1996 – TEMPUS-PHARE “Establishment of System of Continuing Education in Medicine and Health Sciences“. Common KMU project. The library participated in preparing information basis, training material for continuing teaching, in organizing traineeships.
1996 – Project financed by World Health Organisation “Essential Documentation Kit for Training in Public Health“.
1996 – “Core biomedical information system for Medical Library“, project financed by Soros fund, New York.
National and international relations
1993 – the LSMU Library and Information Centre became EAHIL (European Association for Health Information and Libraries) member. The director of the library was elected member of EAHIL council in 1998.
1993 – the library was official centre of WHO documentation.
1998 – the library became a member of Nordic-Baltic Association for Medical and Health Information (SMH Baltic Sea Region Cooperation). The director of the library was elected member of the council.
LSMU Library and Information Centre is one of the founders and a member of BAML (Baltic Association for Medical Libraries) working since 2002.
2000 – The library participated in LABA (Lithuanian Academic Libraries Director‘s Association) activity. The director was elected as a chairwoman of the association in 2002.
2002 – The library participated in LMBA (Lithuanian Research Library Consortium). The director of the library was elected to the council of association.
The library participates in activity of the Council of Lithuanian Libraries at the Ministry of Culture of Lithuanian Republic. The Director of the library is a member of the Council.
